Team Pennine

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Team Pennine
TeamPennineLogo.svg
Team Pennine bus outside Plumbers arms, Huddersfield bus station.jpg
Denby Darts Enviro 200 742 P22 TDV outside Huddersfield Bus Station
ParentTransdev Blazefield
HeadquartersHarrogate
Service areaWest Yorkshire, Greater Manchester
Service typeBus services
Routes54
HubsHalifax
Huddersfield
Elland
Depots2
Fleet79 (August 2021(Includes the Arriva loans)
Fuel typeDiesel
Chief executiveAlex Hornby
Websiteteampennine.co.uk

Team Pennine,[1] formerly Yorkshire Tiger, is a bus company based in Elland, West Yorkshire. Formed in May 2008 as Centrebus Holdings, in September 2013 it was bought by Arriva and was rebranded as Yorkshire Tiger. In July 2021, it was taken over by Transdev Blazefield and was rebranded as Team Pennine.

History[]

Former Yorkshire Tiger logo
Plaxton Centro bodied VDL SB200 in September 2008
Northern Counties Palatine bodied Leyland Olympian in July 2009
Optare Solo in May 2010
Airport Direct liveried Scania OmniCity in July 2010
Yorkshire Tiger liveried Wright Eclipse Gemini in April 2021

Stagecoach[]

In December 2005 Stagecoach Yorkshire purchased the Huddersfield operations and depot of Yorkshire Traction.[2]

In March 2008 it was reported that Arriva were in discussions with Stagecoach to purchase their bus operations in Huddersfield. Arriva Yorkshire already operated services in the town, so purchasing Stagecoach's operations would enlarge their presence. At the time Arriva registered a trading name of K Line, registered on the Arriva Yorkshire licence.[3][4]

In May 2008 Centrebus Holdings[1] purchased the business. Centrebus Holdings was owned by three directors of Centrebus who together owned 56% and Arriva the remaining 44%.[5] Despite the common name and livery, Centrebus Holdings has never been owned by the Centrebus company.[6]

Former Hinckley operations[]

In August 2008 Arriva Midlands' Hinckley depot was sold to Centrebus Holdings.[7] In September 2008 Centrebus purchased the Leicester bus operations of Woods Coaches and services 58 and 140 were transferred to Centrebus Holdings.

Following the Arriva takeover on 9 September 2013 the Hinckley based operations were rebranded as Hinckley Bus.[8] During 2019 the Hinckley operations were absorbed into the Leicester operations of Arriva Midlands and operate as an outstation of their South Wigston depot.[9]

Centrebus Holdings[]

With the purchase of both Stagecoach and K-Line, Centrebus Holdings became the second largest bus operator in Huddersfield after First West Yorkshire. Centrebus decided to retain the K-Line brand, and operate the former Stagecoach services under the Huddersfield Bus Company name, although the Centrebus name was used for the rest of the West Yorkshire operations.

In January 2010 Centrebus Holdings took over some contracted services previously run by First West Yorkshire in the Calderdale area, including Greetland, Halifax, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge and Stainland. Unlike services in Huddersfield, most of the Calderdale services began to run under the Centrebus brand, while routes 536 and 537 were operated by Huddersfield Bus Company from their Waterloo depot and route 343 was operated by K-Line.[10]

As a result, a new depot was established in Elland for the Calderdale operations.[11]

The services that Centrebus Holdings obtained were:[12][13]

  • 343 Halifax-Huddersfield (operated by K-Line)
  • 528 Halifax-Rochdale
  • 531 Halifax-Ripponden via Copley
  • 534 Halifax-Northowram
  • 536/537 Halifax-Huddersfield (operated by Huddersfield Bus)
  • 557 Halifax-Ripponden/Rishworth (Commons also on last run)
  • 559 Halifax-Dean Head
  • 560 Halifax-Commons (early morning only)
  • 574 Halifax-Booth/Midgeley
  • 577 Halifax-Hubberton
  • 579 Halifax-Sowerby (evenings only; daytime services operated by First)
  • 832 Halifax-West End

In April 2010, Centrebus Holdings obtained another service under the Huddersfield Bus Company division, taking over routes 435/436 from Arriva Yorkshire. They also extended further by obtaining three Leeds Bradford Airport bus services that were previously run by First, routes 737 and 747 to Bradford and 757 to Leeds.[14] Like the Calderdale operations, these services operated under the Centrebus name, with a depot on Kirkstall Road.

The company would face competition as First continued to run the 757 service between the airport and Leeds railway station, while Centrebus ran to Leeds City bus station. However, from July 2010 Centrebus were the only operator of route 757 after First withdrew their service.[15] At the same time, Centrebus began to operate many more services in the Bradford and Leeds areas, winning contracts from Metro for services previously run by First, while some services are jointly operated by the two companies.

In October 2010 Halifax Joint Committee's routes 28A, 34 and 36 were taken over by Centrebus's Elland depot while K-Line took over route 31.[16] The A99 service, which runs during term time between the University of Bradford and Bradford University School of Management campuses, was taken over by Centrebus in 2012 having previously been operated by First. At the same time the service was made free to use for university students.

Yorkshire Tiger[]

In September 2013 Arriva bought out its partners and rebranded the company Yorkshire Tiger.[17][18][19] Its fleet was gradually repainted into the new brand identity, consisting of overall orange with tiger prints. Many of its contracted services in Calderdale fell under a new sub-brand, 'The Calder Cubs'. These were all operated with Optare Solos and New Optare Solo SR buses, with free wifi and USB plug sockets.

A fire at its Elland depot in December 2015 saw ten of its buses destroyed.[20][21]

In June 2016, Yorkshire Tiger lost the majority of their contract work in Leeds and as such, the Kirkstall Road depot was closed and demolished, with the Leeds Bradford Airport services moving to a dedicated depot at Idle.

In January 2017, Yorkshire Tiger acquired a number of contracts in South Yorkshire, with a new depot opened at Wombwell as a result. In May 2018, a number of contracts were gained in the Bradford area, with 8 Optare Solos acquired from Arriva North East to operate these services, based at the existing Idle depot. In September 2018, the South Yorkshire contracts were re-tendered to other operators, with the depot at Wombwell subsequently closing. Also in September 2018, a number of changes were made to the Huddersfield network, which resulted in all services being operated out of Waterloo depot with the former K-Line depot at Honley being closed.

In August 2020, Yorkshire Tiger ceased operation in Bradford, opting not to re-bid for the Leeds Bradford Airport services and ending operation of the Bradford local services early. The depot at Idle, along with the airport services, passed to Yorkshire Coastliner, while the Bradford local services were re-tendered to TLC, whom had operated the services prior to the contracts being gained by Yorkshire Tiger.

In April 2021, Transdev Blazefield agreed terms to purchase the business from Arriva. The sale took effect on 25 July 2021 and included 69 buses, 163 staff members and the two depots at Waterloo and Elland.[22][23] Services 231 and 232 (between Huddersfield and Wakefield) were not part of the acquisition, and were transferred to Arriva Yorkshire.[24] The business was rebranded as Team Pennine.[25]

Flying Tiger[]

In April 2014, Yorkshire Tiger's services to Leeds Bradford Airport (737, 747 and 757) began using the sub-brand Flying Tiger. For the 757 service from Leeds, new Optare Versa buses in a blue livery were purchased with the service frequency increased to every 20 minutes. Existing Scania OmniCity buses used on routes 737 and 747 (Bradford to the airport and Bradford to Harrogate respectively) were also refurbished and rebranded.[26][27][28] In 2017, new Enviro 200 MMC vehicles were purchased for routes 737 and 747, painted in a new livery which was also applied to Versa 795, Cadet 621 and Commander 1410.

In August 2020, Yorkshire Tiger lost the contract to continue running the Leeds Bradford Airport services and as such, the 737, 747 and 757 services were all withdrawn, and replaced by new A1, A2 and A3 services operated by Yorkshire Coastliner.[29] The former Flying Tiger Optare Versa and Enviro 200 MMC vehicles subsequently transferred to Arriva Yorkshire.

Tiger Blue[]

Tiger Blue (formerly known as K-Line)[30] was a bus operator based in Honley, West Yorkshire. Tiger Blue operated a number of public bus services in the Kirklees area. The company is only second to First Calderdale & Huddersfield in terms of the number of services operated in the Huddersfield area.[31] The company also operated the FreeTownBus service in Huddersfield town centre, which is a free bus service running a circular route around the town centre.

History of Tiger Blue[]

The former K-Line logo

K-Line was founded in 1980 initially operating out of a garage in Kingburton. With deregulation in 1986, it began operating commercial services in Huddersfield and tendered services in Elland. In November 1993, K-Line was purchased by Pride of the Road Group and in 1998 moved to Honley. In May 2008 K-Line was purchased by Centrebus Holdings.[32][33] It continued to trade as a separate entity from Centrebus, however.

In January 2010, Centrebus Holdings took over some contracted services previously run by First West Yorkshire in the Calderdale area including route 343 that was taken over by K-Line.[10] In October 2010, K-Line took over route 31 from Halifax Joint Committee.[16]

After Arriva wholly purchased Centrebus Holdings in September 2013, it was decided to rebrand most of the business as Yorkshire Tiger while retaining K-Line as a separate brand.[17][18][19] In October 2014, Arriva rebranded K-Line as Tiger Blue to bring it in line with the Yorkshire Tiger brand.[34]

From June 2017, as a result of increased flexibility between the operation of traditionally Honley based ex-K-Line routes and traditionally Waterloo based ex-Huddersfield Bus Company routes, the Tiger Blue brand was gradually phased out with subsequent repaints being into the standard orange Yorkshire Tiger livery.

In September 2018, following reductions to a number of Waterloo-based services, the decision was made to combine operations in Huddersfield, resulting in the closure of the depot at Honley. All routes operated out of Honley were transferred to Waterloo, with the exception of the 343 which transferred to Elland. The two fleets were also merged with a number of the newer vehicles transferring to Waterloo, while those older members of the fleet were withdrawn and stored at the site alongside withdrawn vehicles from other Yorkshire Tiger depots and Arriva Yorkshire. This practice continued until 2021 when all of the withdrawn vehicles were sent to PSV Barnsley Ltd for scrapping with the Honley site sold to South Pennine Community Transport [35]

Tiger Blue provided several bus services in the Huddersfield area, running during the day Mondays to Saturdays, serving areas such as Almondbury, Brackenhall, Crosland Moor, Golcar, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Meltham, Milnsbridge, Mount, Netherton, Newsome, Quarmby and Scapegoat Hill. Buses also run to parts of Calderdale, such as Elland, Halifax, Hebden Bridge and Ripponden. Tiger Blue only ran one service on Sundays, the 900 (and then only between Easter and the third Sunday in October) and did not run any services during the evening.[36] Tiger Blue also operated the FreeTownBus service in Huddersfield.[37]

On 29 September 2014, Tiger Blue took over operation of the Kirklees Access Bus contract, for Metro, with four new Optare Solo SRs.

Team Pennine[]

As of July 2021, the company is now operated by Team Pennine a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield, operating 54 routes across West Yorkshire. [38]

Fleet[]

As of July 2021, the fleet consists of 61 buses. [39]

Team Pennine Brands[]

Calder Country[]

A brand for services 530, 546, 561, 562 & 577 across Calderdale. The services are run by a fleet of six Mellor Strata vehicles on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. The brand serves rural areas around Halifax and the Calder Valley such as Fountainhead, Mill Bank, Soyland, Norland, Barkisland and Boulderclough. The vehicles are numbered 84-89 and are long wheel base versions of the Mellor Strata.[40]

Team Pennine's, Calder Country liveried Mercedes-Benz Mellor Strata at Halifax Wards End.

Denby Darts[]

Main article: D1 Denby Darts

A brand for service D1 (Previously 233), serving Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Skelmanthorpe, Clayton West and Denby Dale. This service runs every 30 minutes with a fleet of six ADL Enviro200s The bus service runs from Huddersfield bus station to the bus stop outside the Denby Dale railway station. [41]

Holmfirth Explorer[]

A brand for the service X1 (Previously 435/436/436A/437/437A) between Holmfirth, Denby Dale, Skelmanthorpe, Clayton West, Calder Grove and into Wakefield City Centre. The service runs from the Holmfirth Bus Station to Wakefield bus station which is owned by Arriva Yorkshire. The Holmfirth Explorer brand is run by a fleet of three Optare Tempos, but currently, they are never in service all together due to poor reliability of the Tempo model. [42]

HuddsQuick[]

A brand for local services in Huddersfield such as 303, 304, 319, 327A, 356, 358, 360 & FTB. This brand is run by a fleet of Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC vehicles. HuddsQuick serves the local area of Huddersfield and also runs into Lindley, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Berry Brow, Lockwood and Brackenhall. [43]

KirkheatonQuick[]

A brand for service 262 which runs to Kirkheaton via Waterloo on Wakefield Road (A642). The service is run by a single Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC registered YX18 KNJ. The service runs in competition of Arriva Yorkshire's 261 service. [44]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Companies House extract company no 6544272 Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Centrebus Holdings Limited
  2. ^ Stagecoach buys Yorkshire traction Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 15 December 2005
  3. ^ Companies House extract company no 4166041 Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Yorkshire Tiger Limited formerly Huddersfield Bus Company Limited formerly Arriva Southern Limited
  4. ^ "Stagecoach discusses possible Huddersfield depot sale to Arriva" Buses April 2008
  5. ^ Completed acquisition by Arriva Passenger Services Limited of the remainder of the entire share capital of Centrebus Holdings Limited Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Competition & Markets Authority 6 May 2014 page 1
  6. ^ "Centrebus teams up with Arriva to rival First in Huddersfield" Buses June 2008
  7. ^ Centrebus Herts & Beds Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page 31 August 2008
  8. ^ Hinckley Bus Archived 15 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Arriva
  9. ^ "Arriva Bus". www.arrivabus.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  10. ^ a b "New bus network for rural South Calderdale". Metro. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  11. ^ "Jobs cuts loom for First bus drivers in Huddersfield and Halifax". Huddersfield Examiner. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  12. ^ "Consultation Changes to Bus Services in Rural Calderdale – January 2010" (PDF). Metro. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  13. ^ "Calderdale tendered service review (maps)" (PDF). Metro. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  14. ^ "New firms to take over Wharfedale and Aireborough bus routes". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  15. ^ "Metro awards contracts to Centrebus". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  16. ^ a b "Firm takes on bus services". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  17. ^ a b Centrebus (Holdings) Limited Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Arriva 9 September 2013
  18. ^ a b Arriva takes joint venture control Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 12 September 2013
  19. ^ a b Arriva unleases its Yorkshire Tiger Archived 18 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 9 October 2013
  20. ^ Atkinson, Neil (28 December 2015). "Buses badly damaged by blaze at Elland". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Yorkshire Tiger battles fire and flood". Bus & Coach Buyer. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  22. ^ "Transdev takes over Yorkshire Tiger buses in West Yorkshire from Arriva". Telegraph & Argus. 15 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  23. ^ In the pink – Team Pennine tame the (Yorkshire) Tiger Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine Huddersfield Times 23 July 2021
  24. ^ "Transdev signs agreement with Arriva to buy Yorkshire Tiger bus services in Halifax and Huddersfield". The Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Team Pennine brand to oust Yorkshire Tiger under Transdev". Route One. 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. ^ "Homepage". Flying Tiger Bus. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  28. ^ Airport Direct becomes Flying Tigers Archived 8 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Buyer2 May 2014
  29. ^ "PT changes" (PDF). Metro. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  30. ^ Companies House extract company no 3287940 Archived 28 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine Teamdeck Limited
  31. ^ "South Kirklees List of Services" (PDF). Metro. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  32. ^ "Centrebus teams up with Arriva to rival First in Huddersfield" Buses June 2008
  33. ^ "Yorkshire Tiger" Buses issue 715 October 2014 pages 28–31
  34. ^ Yorkshire Tiger launches Tiger Blue service Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine Coach & Bus Week issue 1162 4 November 2014 page 12
  35. ^ "Goodbye Honley Bus Depot 1980's-2018 (Part 2 of 2) – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Timetable Leaflets". Metro. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  37. ^ "Huddersfield freetownbus". Metro. Archived from the original on 13 September 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  38. ^ "Team Pennine". Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  39. ^ "Team Pennine Fleet List". Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  40. ^ "New, tailor-made buses for CalderCountry". Team Pennine. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  41. ^ "Denby Darts". Team Pennine. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  42. ^ "Holmfirth Explorer". Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  43. ^ "HuddsQuick". Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  44. ^ "KirkheatonQuick". Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.

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